Adjustable looking glass



S ept. 10,194 0. H. a. HoPbN I 2,214,5

ADJUSTABLE LOOKING GLAS S Filed Nov. 25, 1939 2 sheetsfshet INVENTOR S t,10, 1940,. I H. B. HOPSON 2,214,694

. ADJUSTABLE LOOKING GLASS Filed Nov. 25 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR TTORNE S Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,214,694 1 ADJUSTABLE LOOKING GLASS Harry B. Hopson, Springfield, Mass.

Application November 25, 1939, Serial No. 306,110

' 7 Claims.- (01. -22) This invention relates to an adjustable looking glass for a special purpose. As this purpose will be best understood from a study of the principle involved, together with a. description of the device itself as shown in the accompanying drawings, the structure will first be explained and then the inventive features pointed out.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a representation of one use of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the structure showin certain details of construction for the structure of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation'of another form of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 4.

Having reference first to the form of structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the looking glass is made up of a top portion 6 and bottom portion 5, between which a series of thin strips or slats 4 are positioned. Vertical side members or stays 8 are suitably attached at the top and bottom to portions 5 and 6 and form the connection between them. To the bottom portion 5 a tab 10 is affixed in suitable manner, as by rivets 9, and to this tab If] is attached a handle II by which the user may grasp the article.

The slats 4 in this form of the device have a tongue and groove connection as at l to fit for sliding engagement with each other and with portions 5 and 6. This dovetailed connection in conjunction with the vertical stays 8 serves to keep the flat surfaces of the slats 4 and portions 5 and 6 flush with each other. Furthermore, the stays 8 are so dimensioned that the slats 4, though in sliding engagement with each other and portions 5 and 6, will not be so loose as to fall out if the slats are tipped and point downwardly.

The construction of the looking glass in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is simpler. The slats l2 are not fitted to each other with a tongue and groove connection but slide on one another on fiat edges, as in Fig. 5. To insure a flush connection on the flat surface of the looking glass two vertical stays l3 and I4, spaced apart from each other, are provided. These stays are suitably attached to bottom supporting portion l5 to which a handle I6 is affixed in the same manner as handle H in Fig. 2. Instead of a top portion such as portion 6 of Fig. 2, this form of the structure has any suitable tightening arrangement at the top of the staysl3 and I4, as a bolt and wing nut l1, so that the stays may hold the slats l2 in proper alignment and securelyin a fiush position when being used.

The supporting portion or portions, the slats, and the stays as described are all provided with a mirror finish'on their exposed surfaces, thereby forming a proper reflecting plate for the adjustable looking glass. This finish may be a bright plating of nickel or chromium or the parts may be made of stainless steel. The material employed to furnish a reflecting surface is immate-,

rial, the only requirement being that a highly polished surface be obtained. It will be understood that in the drawings the lines showing the dimensions of the slats 4 and the slats l2 are to clarify the structural detail and that in the finished product with a highly polished surface those lines will be scarcely perceptible to the eye. The slats may of course be made of mirror glass, as well as polished metal.

With the slats 4 and slats l2 slidable in relation to each other it will be seen that, as in Fig. 1, the adjustable lookingglass is preferably made to fit the profile of the face very closely so that the reflected image has no observable breaks along the edges where the ends of the slats contact the profile.

The main purpose of this structure is to fit it edgewise against the middle vertical line dividing the human face, as in Fig. 1, so that one-half of the face can be observed, as reflected in the glass, and so as to have this reflection fitted to the same half of the real face. The result is that the reflected left-hand half gives the illusion of being the right-hand half, while the real lefthand half, with the illusion fitting it, combines therewith to make an observable full face View made up of only the left-hand half features. The right-hand features can be observed in similar fashion. The preferred form of structure has a reflecting surface on both sides, but one side only may be used if desired. So, with the aid of the invention, a desirable illusion can be quickly made for study or amusement.

Trick photography has been used to give the illusion of a full face view of a person, with the view made up of features from only one side of the face. I am also aware of prior patent to Benton 1,779,655, of 1930, in which a mirror is used with a persons photograph to give such a full face view. My adjustable looking glass is the first structure, so far as I am aware, by which full face Views can be accurately given without the aid of photography. My invention will as well assist the photographer when he wants to get a trick photograph showing a full face view. With the aid of my new and useful structure, now fully disclosed, it is clear that the desirable arrangements of human face images-may be quickly made and studied or photographed.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable looking glass, a reflecting surface composed of a series of members slidable relative to each other in the plane of the reflecting surface and adapted to be adjusted manually to shifted positions whereby a boundary of said reflecting surface may be varied for the purpose described.

2. In an adjustable looking glass of the type described, a reflecting surface composed of a series of shiny flat members mounted with their flat surfaces flush and their edges determining the boundaries of said reflecting surface, said flat members being adapted to be shifted relative to each other and to thereby vary the contour of at least one boundary of said reflecting surface, all for the purpose described.

3. In an adjustable looking glass of the type disclosed, a reflecting surface composed of a series of shiny fiat members mounted with their flat surfaces flush and with their. corresponding end edges determining the boundaries of said reflecting surface, said members being adapted to be shifted relative to each other to thereby vary' the contour of the boundaries of said reflecting surface for the purpose described.

4. In an adjustable looking glass of the type described, a fiat plate-like member having a mirror finish and composed of a series of long, thin slats with their long edges in abutting and sliding relation, their flat surfaces forming the surface of the plate and their narrow edges two boundaries of the plate, and top and bottom portions between which the series of slats lie with the first and last slats having a long edge in abutting and. sliding relation with said portions,

and a pair of stays connecting said portions and straddling the flat surfaces of said slats, all for the purpose described.

5. The structure of claim 4 with the abutting and sliding edges of each slat having means to engage the edge on which it slides to hold the flat surfaces of adjacent members flush with each other.

6. In an adjustable looking glass of the type described, a flat plate-like member having a mirror finish and composed of a series of long thin slats with their long edges in abutting and sliding relation, their flat surfaces forming the surface of the plate and a supporting portion with which the first slat is in abutting and sliding relation on its long edge and pairs of stays affixed to said supporting portion straddling the fiat surfaces of said slats, and means at the top of the stays whereby said slats may be held securely in position, all for the purpose described.

7. In an adjustable looking glass of the type described, a flat plate-like member having a mirror finish and composed of a series of long, thin slats with their long edges held in sliding relation by a tongue and groove connection, their flat surfaces forming the surface of the plate and their narrow edges two boundaries of the plate, and top and bottom portions between which the series of slats lie with the first and last slats having a long edge for sliding relation with said portions by means of a tongue and groove .connection, and a pair of stays connecting said portions and straddling the flat surfacesof said slats, all for the purpose described.

HARRY B. HOPSON. 

